Wire tensioning and tying tool means

ABSTRACT

A wire tying handtool for forming a wire loop around an article and for twisting together tail ends at a cross-over region wherein the tool has a foot member with abutment faces engaging sides of the tail ends, wire holding means for the tail ends, a mechanism to cause displacement of the holding means away from the foot member to apply tension to the wire for tightly drawing the wire around the article while the foot member urges the cross-over region onto the article, and a handle for turning the tool substantially about its axis for effecting the twisting action.

[ 1 Feb. 11, 1975 1 1 WIRE TENSllONlNG AND TYllNG TOOL MEANS [75] Inventor: lllelmuth Spiith, Pretoria, South Africa [73] Assignee: Span-Fix (Proprietary) Limited,

Pretoria, South Africa 22 Filed: Sept. 14, 1973 [21] Appl. No; 397,563

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data 2,362,112 11/1944 Capra 81/93 2,421,878 6/1947 2,455,609 12/1948 2,623,424 12/1952 Ackerman 81/93 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATlONS 244,933 5/1963 Australia 81/93 455,606 4/1949 Canada 140/118 Primary Examiner-Lowell A. Larson Attorney, Agent, or FirmLadas, Parry, Von Gehr, Goldsmith 8L Deschamps ABSTRACT A wire tying handtool for forming a wire loop around an article and for twisting together tail ends at a crossover region wherein the tool has a foot member with abutment faces engaging sides of the tail ends, wire holding means for the tail ends, a mechanism to cause displacement of the holding means away from the foot member to apply tension to the wire for tightly drawing the wire around the article while the foot member urges the cross-over region onto the article, and a handle for turning the tool substantially about its axis for effecting the twisting action.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures I WIRE TENSIONING AND TYING TOOL MEANS BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the binding of a wire under tension around an article, object, a bundle of elements or objects, or the like and may find particular application for tensioning and tying a wire around a flexible or ductile tube to form a clamp for retaining such tube tightly on a connector or the like.

2. Description of the Prior Art Prior art devices disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,088,901 illustrates a slender centre part for bearing on the article and around which a rotatable arm member is provided having at eccentric positions means for coupling tail ends of the wire and for subsequent rotation thereof for winding the tail ends onto one another. Prior art according to US. Pat No. 3,072,156 illustrates a centre part for bearing on the article and having an axial hole through which the tail ends extend for securing and tensioning by a rotatable part journalled on the centre part. In both the disclosures the winding of the wire is towards the article.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the binding of a wire under tension around an article whereby, after passing the wire around the article with tail ends of the wire crossing over in a cross-over region to define an angle between them the wire is tightly drawn around the article by applying tension to at least one of the tail ends while urging the cross-over region towards the article whereafter the tail ends are twisted together while under tension about an axis substantially intersecting the angle defined by the tail ends, to form interengaging formations in the tail ends at the cross-over region.

The means according to the invention comprises a handtool which includes a foot member having at least two laterally spaced abutment faces adapted to receive in abutment the sides of the tail ends, holding means on opposite sides of the foot member for holding the tail ends, tensioning means for applying tension to atleast one of the tail ends when the foot member seats in the cross-over region, and a handle for twisting the foot member about an axis parallel to the abutment faces.

The abutment faces of the foot members are arranged in two parallel pairs in lateral spaced relationship presenting a surface for seating on the tail ends of the cross-over region. The lateral spacing between the abutment faces is a little more than double the thickness of the wire. The abutment faces of the foot member are provided by the opposed side walls of a pair of spaced inline notches converging towards a flat pressing face at the end of the foot member.

The holding means, according to one form of the invention, are fast with a nut held captive against rotation by a member fast with a foot member while the nut engages with a screw threaded shank adapted, upon rotation relative to the nut, to displace the nut away from or towards the foot member.

In another form of the invention the holding means are fast with a threaded shank engaging with a nut held captive against axial displacement 'by a member fast with the foot member while rotation of the nut relative to the shank is adapted to displace the holding means away from or towards the foot member.

In still another form of the invention the holding means for a tail end-are provided on the working arm of a lever pivotally mounted on a central member fast with the foot member. The tensioning means may include a screw threaded shank, pall and ratchet gear, or the equivalent engaging with the effort arm of the lever for displacing the holding means away from the foot member. Two co-acting levers may be provided each carrying on a working arm holding means for a tail end portion of the wire.

According to a further form of the means according to the invention a main member is provided while the foot member is fast with a slide member which in turn is telescopically slidable in the main member whereas the holding means are provided on the main member. The slide member engages screw fashion with a mating screw member held captive by the main member against axial or alternatively against rotational displacement relative to such main member.

The wire holding means for each tail end portion of the wire may comprise a pair of spaced pins between which the wire is wound or twisted. In another form the wire holding means for each wire end portion may comprise a pin having cross grooves or openings therethrough to accommodate the tail ends of the wire. After accommodation of the tail ends of the wire, extending portions may be twisted around such pin.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and carried into effect reference will now be made to the accompanying sheets of drawings which illustrates, by way of example, a number of embodiments of a handtool constructed according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of one form of a handtool for binding a wire looped around an article;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a modified from of handtool for binding; a wire looped around an article;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section on line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of another modified form of tool for binding a wire looped around an article;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section on line V--V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation of still another modified form of a handtool for binding a wire looped around an article;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section on line VII-VII of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a three dimensional view of a ductile tube on which wire is wound, tensioned and secured according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE. PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The handtool 10, shown in FIG. 1, comprises a central member 12 having in the bottom end a pair of spaced notches l4 converging towards a flat pressing face 14.11. The opposite side faces of the notches form abutment faces for receiving sides of tail end portions of the wire after looping and crossing. On the upper end of the central member a pair of levers are mounted about parallel spaced pivot pins 18 while the pivoted portions of the levers, provided on webs 20, provide meshing gear sectors 22 for equal simultaneous movement in opposite directions of both levers 16. In the bottom tip ends 16.1 of the levers 16 oblique small bore holes or notches 22 are provided while on the outer faces of the levers 16, upwardly spaced from the ends 16.1, pairs of spaced pins 24 are provided to provide holding means for end portions of the wire.

On the top end of one of the levers 16 a swivel guide 26 is provided for a screw threaded shank 28. One end of the screw threaded shank is pivotally connected to the other level at 26.1 while outwardly of the guide 26 a winged nut 30 is provided which, when rotated in the direction for tightening causes the ends 16.1 of the levers 16 to be moved forcibly outwardly.

For binding a wire looped around an article the tail end portions of the wire cross over while such portions are threaded through the holes 22 and secured, by twisting them between the pins 24, to the lower working or load arms of the levers when said arms are positioned close to the central member 12. On tightening of the nut 30 on the shank 28 the effort arms of the levers are brought together and on outward displacement of the load arms the wire, looped around the article, is tensioned and drawn taut over the article. Simultaneously with such action the foot-forming bottom end of the central member is forced onto the cross-over region of the wire. After sufficient tensioning of the wire the tool is rotated about the axis of the central member 12 through an angle of not less than 90 whereby interengaging hook formations are formed for tightly retaining the wire around the article. After disconnecting the tail end portions of the wire such remaining tail end portions are cut off close to the interhooked formations.

In the tool shown in FIG. 2 a foot member 32 is fast with one end of a tubular part 34 having in opposed sides longitudinal slots 36. In the opposite end of the tubular part a journal 38 is provided in which a screw threaded shank 40 is journalled and held captive against axial movement. Also extending from opposite sides of the tubular part 34 are a pair of outwardly directed handles 42. On an outwardly extending end of the screw threaded spindle 40 a transverse handle 44 is provided. The screw threaded portion of the shank 40 engages a nut 46 which is fast with an internal member 48 axially slidable within the tubular part 34 and restrained against rotation. Secured to the inner member 48 is a transverse bar 500 which extends outwardly of the tubular member 34 through the slots 36. In end portions of the bar 50 diametrical slots are provided for receiving tail end portions of the wire which are also required to be twisted around the ends of the bar. Said end portions of the bar form the wire holding means. In the outer transverse face of the foot member 32 converging notches 14.1 are provided which form the laterally spaced abutment faces at opposite ends of the flat pressing face 14.11. With the handle 44 a crank 44.1 may be incorporated to facilitate rotation thereof.

The tool 10.1 is attached to the end portions ofa wire looped around an article substantially as aforesaid and secured to the bar 50. Tensioning is effected by rotation the handle or crank handle 44.1 causing upward retraction of the inner member 48 and the bar 50. R- tation of the tool 10.1, for twisting of the wire end portions onto one another, is effected by engaging and turning the handles 42.

The form of the handtool 10.2, see FIG. 4, is substanconstruction the tubular part 34 is formed by two chanme] casing half parts adapted to be secured with the edges of the longitudinal flanges in spaced relationship. The inner member 48 is composed of two similar coacting plate-like parts shaped to form a central tubular portion when secured together and wherein a nut or screw threads are provided for the screw threaded spindle 40. Outer marginal portions 48.3 of the two similar plate-like parts 48.1 extend outwardly in spaced relationship and are provided with notches 48.2. Said notched portions 48.3 of the plate-like parts 48.1, which extend through cavities formed by the spaced flanges of the channel-like parts 34.1, form the holding means for the end portions of the wire which are engaged in the notches 48.2 and twisted around the portions 48.3. The foot member 32.1 comprises a circumferentially grooved squat cylindrical element of which a segment is cut off to form its flat pressing face 14.11. Inner faces of the flanges adjacent the cut-off portion form the abutment faces. The handle 42, which comprises a tubular member in which the bearing for the shank 40 is transversely located, is secured between the channel-shaped parts 34.1 by means of a rivet 58 while the foot member 32.1 is secured between the opposite ends of the parts 34.1 by a rivet 60. A reduced bottom or tip end 40.1 of the spindle 40 is rotatably located on the foot member 32.1.

In the form of handtool 10.3, FIGS. 6 and 7, the inner member 48.5 is arranged to extend from one end of the tubular part 34 in which it is axially slidable and restrained from rotational movement. On the outer end of the inner member 48.5 the foot member 32 is secured or shaped while from the opposite end an axial screw threaded hole extends for the screw threaded shank 40. The shank 40 is journalled in a bearing 38 and held captive against axial movement while on the outer end a transverse handle 44 is provided. Adjacent the lower end of the outer part 34 robust bars 50.1 extend outwardly and having diametrical holes 50.2. Said bars 50.1 form the holding means for the tail ends of the wire.

In FIG. 8 a binding wire 50 is shown looped three times around a ductile material tube or hose 54 to form a clamp and of which the end portions are twisted onto one another to form interengaging hook formations 56.

The operation of the various forms of the tool are all substantially similar.

The invention is not limited to the forms described and shown. The means for forcibly displacing the levers 16 or retraction of the bar-forming wire holding means 50, 50.1 or the plate-like parts 48.1 can be effected by pall and ratchet embodiments. Furthermore the wire tensioning means may comprise a drum-like part onto which the tail end portions of the wire may be wound.

Other suitable forms of holding means for the tail end portions of the wire may be employed, such as for instance toothed sliding wedge devices, chucks or the like.

The length of the handtools 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 may be extended to render it suitable for binding a wire around a part located at a difflcultly accessible position, such as the securing of a lower radiator hose of a motor vehicle. I

With a handtool according to the invention thick wires may be used as compared with thin wires generally used for binding purposes. By using thick wires the danger of the wires cutting into the article or the like is considerably reduced, such as for instance when securing flexible hose or the like onto tubular connectors.

I claim:

1. A handtool for tensioning and binding a wire which is looped around an article and which has tail end portions extending from a cross-over region, the handtool comprising:

a. a foot member having a flat transverse pressing face on its outer end for seating on the cross-over region of the wire, handle means for holding the foot member to twist it about an axis normal to its pressing face, and two spaced notches converging towards the pressing face and having pairs of laterally spaced abutment faces extending oppositely away from the pressing face to receive in abutment the sides of the tail end portions of the wire adjacent the cross-over region.

b. holding means on opposite sides of the foot mem ber for connection thereto of the tail end portions of the wire; and a mechanism associated with the foot member and the holding means for displacing the holding means forcibly relative to the foot member, and for thereby applying tension to the tail end portions of the wire; whereby, on seating of the pressing face on the cross-over region, after the wire is tightly drawn around the article and on maintaining the tension in the tail end portions the pressing face is urged onto the cross-over region, and on twisting of the foot member about said axis normal to the pressing face, the abutment faces twist the tail end portions into interengaging hook formations.

2. A handtool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the abutment faces are arranged as two substantially aligned parallel pairs which are separated by the pressing face, said abutment faces comprising the side walls of the converging notches provided in the foot member and extending away from opposite ends of the pressing face.

3. A handtool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the pressing face of the foot member, in a di' rection parallel to the pairs of abutment faces, is of the order of the diameter of the wire which is to be bound.

4. A handtool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lateral spacing between each pair of abutment faces is twice the diameter of the wire which is to be bound.

5. A handtool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding means for the tail end portions of the wire comprise a pair of arms extending oppositely cantilever fashion; the arms having notches in their ends for receiving the tail ends of the loop of wire.

6. A handtool for binding a loop of wire which is looped around an article and which has tail end portions extending from a cross-over region, the handtool including:

a hollow shank member having a pair of opposed slot-like openings extending longitudinally;

a transverse handle at one end of the shank member;

a foot member at the opposite end of the shank member having a pressing face normal to the axis of the shank member for seating on the cross-over region of the loop of wire, and a pair of aligned grooves extending from opposite ends of the pressing face and aligned with the slot-like openings in the shank member, each groove being defined by a pair of parallel abutment faces for engaging the sides of the tail end portions of the wire adjacent the crossover region for twisting said tail end portions into interengaging hook formations;

an inner captive nut member within the hollow shank member formed by two longitudinally joined internally screw-threaded plate-like pairs having at least one pair of oppositely directed wing portions ex tending outwardly through the slot-like openings of the hollow shank member, the wing portions being adapted to receive the tail end portions of the wire in engagement; and

a screw-threaded spindle disposed longitudinally of the hollow shank and engaging the captive screwthreaded nut member for forced displacement of such nut member relative to the foot member, the spindle being supported by a bearing in the hollow shank, and having a crank handle for rotating it about its axis.

7. A handtool as claimed in claim 6 in which the hollow shank member is formed by a pair of similar channel-shaped half parts secured with flanges facing inwardly and spaced from one another, the transverse handle and the foot member being disposed between the said half parts; in which the plate-like parts forming the captive nut member are similar, each plate-like part having a pair of oppositely extending wing portions which are spaced from each other on either side of the shank member in a direction transverse to the spindle 

1. A handtool for tensioning and binding a wire which is looped around an article and which has tail end portions extending from a cross-over region, the handtool comprising: a. a foot member having a flat transverse pressing face on its outer end for seating on the cross-over region of the wire, handle means for holding the foot member to twist it about an axis normal to its pressing face, and two spaced notches converging towards the pressing face and having pairs of laterally spaced abutment faces extending oppositely away from the pressing face to receive in abutment the sides of the tail end portions of the wire adjacent the cross-over region. b. holding means on opposite sides of the foot member for connection thereto of the tail end portions of the wire; and c. a mechanism associated with the foot member and the holding means for displacing the holding means forcibly relative to the foot member, and for thereby applying tension to the tail end portions of the wire; whereby, on seating of the pressing face on the cross-over region, after the wire is tightly drawn around the article and on maintaining the tension in the tail end portions the pressing face is urged onto the cross-over region, and on twisting of the foot member about said axis normal to the pressing face, the abutment faces twist the tail end portions into interengaging hook formations.
 2. A handtool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the abutment faces are arranged as two substantially aligned parallel pairs which are separated by the pressing face, said abutment faces comprising the side walls of the converging notches provided in the foot member and extending away from opposite ends of the pressing face.
 3. A handtool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the pressing face of the foot member, in a direction parallel to the pairs of abutment faces, is of the order of the diameter of the wire which is to be bound.
 4. A handtool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lateral spacing between each pair of abutment faces is twice the diameter of the wire which is to be bound.
 5. A handtool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holding means for the tail end portions of the wire comprise a pair of arms extending oppositely cantilever fashion; the arms having notches in their ends for receiving the tail ends of the loop of wire.
 6. A handtool for binding a loop of wire which is looped around an article and which has tail end portions extending from a cross-over region, the handtool including: a hollow shank member having a pair of opposed slot-like openings extending longitudinally; a transverse handle at one end of the shank member; a foot member at the opposite end of the shank member having a pressing face normal to the axis of the shank member for seating on the cross-over region of the loop of wire, and a pair of aligned grooves extending from opposite ends of the pressing face and aligned with the slot-like openings in the shank member, each groove being defined by a pair of parallel abutment faces for engaging the sides of the tail end portions of the wire adjacent the cross-over region for twisting said tail end portions into interengaging hook formations; an inner captive nut member within the hollow shank member formed by two longitudinally joined internally screw-threaded plate-like pairs having at least one pair of oppositely directed wing portions extending outwardly through the slot-like openings of the hollow shank member, the wing portions being adapted to receive the tail end portions of the wire in engagement; and a screw-threaded spindle disposed longitudinally of the hollow shank and engaging the captive screw-threaded nut member for forced displacement of such nut member relative to the foot member, the spindle being supported by a bearing in the hollow shank, and having a crank handle for rotating it about its axis.
 7. A handtool as claimed in claim 6 in which the hollow shank member is formed by a pair of similar channel-shaped half parts secured with flanges facing inwardly and spaced from one another, the transverse handle and the foot member being disposed between the said half parts; in which the plate-like parts forming the captive nut member are similar, each plate-like part having a pair of oppositely extending wing portions which are spaced from each other on either side of the shank member in a direction transverse to the spindle axis. 